OVERSEAS workers’ group Migrante International yesterday rejected the plan of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to switch to the use of the Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Pass as a requirement for Filipinos to work abroad as it called anew for the scrapping of the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC).
In an interview, Migrante International chairperson Joanna Concepcion said neither the OEC nor the OFW Pass is necessary since “OFWs already have employment contracts authenticated by the Philippine Consulate or Philippine Embassy, or, in some cases, verified by the Migrant Workers Office.”
The digital OFW Pass is set to replace the traditional OEC as the official document that OFWs need to present before they are allowed to depart the country.
“Aren’t the authenticated and verified contract and the working visa stamped in the Philippine passport sufficient to prove that an OFW is legitimate?” Concepcion asked.
Both the OEC and the OFW Pass certify that an OFW has permission from the Philippine government to work abroad.
Concepcion said they have long advocated for the scrapping of the OEC because it only adds to the expenses of the workers and is being used as a mechanism to extort money from OFWs.”
As for the OFW Pass, the Migrante official said they will continue to hold reservations towards it until the DMW issues a memorandum or circular regarding it.
“Until the DMW issues a written memo or order clearly stating that the OFW Pass will not be used to collect fees, we will view it as being similar to an OEC,” said Concepcion.
Last week, DMW Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac said they are set to launch the OFW Pass soon with the aim to make the process more accessible and more convenient for OFWs.
He said one of the foremost features of the OFW Pass is that it removes the requirement of onsite processing of OECs as it can be done using an app in smart mobile phones.
Cacdac also said that the OFWs will no longer need to pay the P100 fee for the OFW Pass like the one required for the OEC.
Lastly, Cacdac said they have also removed the 60-day validity period of OECs for the OFW Pass, which will be accessible as long as they have a valid contract.
The DMW said it is just waiting for the approval of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for the official launch of the OFW Pass.
